


Time to repay a debt

by AnArrayOFCrieffs



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: Audio: The Torchwood Archive, Children of Earth, Complete, M/M, Multi, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-18 09:21:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28989885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnArrayOFCrieffs/pseuds/AnArrayOFCrieffs
Summary: What happens when the remaining members of Torchwood meet 12. His face is familiar!Twelve’s face holds him to account.Isn’t it time after all the times Jack’s died in the doctor’s name. The doctor pays him back.
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones, Martha Jones/Mickey Smith
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I always wonder what captain Jack would make of twelve’s face. 
> 
> As he shares it with John Frobisher who is arguably responsible for the 456 incident and therefore the death of Ianto (and of course Steven) 
> 
> Peter calpaldi’s desire to be in anything doctor who related causes problem when he becomes the doctor himself) 
> 
> (I might have retconned miracle day because I hate it) 
> 
> *note typed on phone with no BETA so excuse spelling etc

Kate Stewart lead group to the black archives, she knew better than any one one how odd this crew must look to anyone looking in, herself and Lovegood from Unit, and former unit operative Martha Jones-smith and her husband mickey, both had a wealth of experience from travelling with the doctor, Clara Oswald, and the gray haired Scot accented doctor himself  
“It looks like a kamelan arch locket ” Martha looked at the object Kate had just handed her  
“It’s a locket Martha”the doctor dismissed the idea grumpily  
“Doctor!” Clara chastised the doctor looking at the others apologetically for this grumpy chastising regeneration.  
“Ma’am” a unit operative shouted “this is Gwen Cooper and Capt....” 

“You ....” Gwen felt jack push past her as he pushed the the familiar face to to the wall “JACK no,” she understood his anger, it was Frobisher that had caused much of the crisis with the 456, the callous disregard for children, the lives lost, the destruction of the hub, the hundreds of lives lost at Thames house, and for Jack the very personal loss of Steven, and Ianto, the grief fuelled rage that must be coursing through her friend and former colleague. To be honest it was a shock to see Frobisher here. 

“Jack what the hell are you doing?!?!” Mickey prised Jack and the doctor apart. 

“What are you doing here Frobisher?!?!” 

“Jack it’s me, the doctor” the doctor readjusted himself “I was with you at game station actually probably not best mention that...” jack pinned him against the wall again “we refuelled in Cardiff where you waited for me, the year that never was, Martha walked the earth for us, earth went missing” Jack realised his grip a little, looking at Mickey and Martha. 

“It’s the doctor Jack” Mickey said 

“Honestly jack it’s the doctor” Martha pushed him back to Gwen, “it’s true Frobisher committed suicide he didn’t survive the 456 I’ve seen the unit clean up records, what’s going on Gwen?” 

“You look different ianto and I saw you on the sub wave network” Gwen was confused but nothing surpriced “and you look like Frobisher, the civil servant that started the communication with the 456, and ianto he died, Torchwood no longer exists, jack and I are the only ones left” 

“Yes this face,I’ve had some issues face but it’s to hold me to account, I was too arrogant Jack, I thought I could save everyone and stopped caring for those I didn’t” the doctor explained “I’m sorry to hear about ianto, Jack I honestly I am” 

“Don’t mention ianto not with that face not with that mouth you don’t talk about Ianto” jack growled you understand “you never ever ever mention ianto!” 

“A man that made jack Harkness happy I never thought I’d see that” 

“More than happy” Mickey murmured 

“Doctor!” Martha growled seeing the way captain was looking him. “Have either of you seen an object like this before?” She held the small locket that seemed to be begged to be open. 

“The bad penny” jack could hardly keep the laughter out of his voice “the red key” 

“Torchwood object one” Gwen explained “given to jack by queen victoria” 

“And thrown in to rift by me, but it keeps bouncing out of the rift” jack carried on “a bad luck token that brings bad luck, Alex Hopkins, the duchess, Archie. The owner can not have success, it belonged to the tsar of Russia, during that time the Russian empire disappeared, it was gifted to queen Victoria the same happened Responsible most of the worst days Torchwood had. Maybe the black archives is where it belongs”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack runs away again 
> 
> The doctor realise it’s time to be kind

They left the Tower of London saying goodbye to Kate and Lovegood. 

Martha noticed the sadness that seemed almost physical around her friends, the events of the 456 had clearly taken far more of a toll than even she’d imagined, Gwen seemed reluctant to get involved, although she’d seemed to relax, once she’d seen the object they’d all been called to the tower for was something as in Gwen’s words mundane as object one, jack however Jack, was, well he reminded her of the angry grief filled doctor she first knew, like the doctor the weight of responsibility causing him to shrink, he wasn’t the flirty cocky jack she knew. The doctor knew that Rose was safe, in fact she remembered jacks joy when she he’d asked about Rose the first time she’d met, she understood how that must have played on his mind seeing the list of the dead from Canary Wharf, she’d felt something she imagined similar when she’d seen the list of the dead from Thames House. She looked at her husband who was also watching Jack. 

“I guess this good bye then captain cheese cake” 

A sad smile played on jacks lips “ah you know me Mickey” jack started absently playing with the strap on his arm, he’d thought he had been ready that he’d shaken enough dirt off his shoes, seeing the face again had made him realise that he wasn’t and that he may never be ready “I’m sure I’ll pop up somewhere” 

Clara looked at the doctor, not completely understanding but knowing that often a comforting reassuring word from him helped his friends feel better. 

“Back to Cardiff then Jack?” the doctor asked 

“No, I don’t think so” jack looked sadly at Gwen, “I..” he turned to Mickey “I leave the protection of the earth in yours and your lovely wife’s hands ... do you mind?” Jack looked at Martha 

“Go ahead” Mickey smiled giving jack the permission to Pull Martha in to the biggest bear hug 

“Martha jones... saving the earth again” He stepped away from the group, “I’m sorry Gwen” the tears starting to well in both there eyes. 

“No, no no” Gwen started to let the tears fall “you could stay, stay with me and Rhys, get to know anwen” 

“This planets too small, to many ghosts” jack started to program the vortex manipulator he pressed a kiss on her forehead “I’m sorry...” he stepped away from the group he pressed the final button and he beamed away. 

Mickey was quick to support Gwen, as her legs nearly went from beneath her “I’ve got you, let’s get you back to Rhys” 

“Good you do that Mickey” the doctor said “Martha if your taking on the mantle of earths last line of defence from Torchwood, I have some stuff in the Tardis” 

“Oh hello old friend” Martha stroked the Tardis console “K9! Mickey will be pleased to see you” she knelt to make eye contact with the robot dog “you didn’t want me on my own just to give us K9” she stood up looking at the doctor knowing this was a ruse. 

“No, the jack I knew” 

“Would have said hello to Clara?” Martha suggested with a chuckle well remembering her own first meeting with the man in the greatcoat

“He did, I mean he was pretty keen to throttle the doctor but I’m feeling more left out now than I did by Gwen or captain Jack” 

“Oh jacks hellos are normally slightly different Clara, tell me about Ianto, Martha is there really a man/woman/alien that can make the insatiable captain Jack happy”

“He didn’t snog you, or Mickey, Clara, before Jack would flirt with anything, I’m not sure even dating a zygone would stop the captain” 

“When I first met him doctor, he was flirty, cocky sure of himself” Martha smiled at the memory “fun ready to go, although he felt like the man he loved would never notice him and I knew how he felt” 

“Oh he noticed both of you Martha” 

“Still, Doctor, the jack I knew at Torchwood he knew what proper love was, ianto was all he wanted he was more comfortable with being in a couple and settling down than ianto was it was it was all he wanted. Doctor your friends, we don’t often get to share this with anyone else, how can we who else would understand. And Jack finding some one to tame him make him want to settle down ... that’s what ianto did!” 

“Then Martha jones, I need your help once more” the doctor started programming the Tardis “one more trip?” 

“Doctor?” Clara thought she understood the doctor fairly well now but she was feeling like she did the first day she’d met him.

“I need some one who won’t look out of place with Unit on the streets” he looked at Martha “I wasn’t around when I should have been we’re going back to the456 incident, I talk about kindness, maybe it’s time I stop talking and show kindness to my oldest friend, lead by example” 

“We can’t change history Doctor, you tell us that”

“But Doctor” Clara put in “going by jack and Gwens reaction to your face I’m not sure ...”

“Which is why I need Martha I need some one that ianto trusts”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Martha intercepts Ianto as he’s shopping for a replacement Greatcoat 
> 
> Set during CoE

Ianto slipped the key on a chain round his neck, they needed clothes, food. They were enemies of the state. This was worse than the battle of Canary Wharf, unit prowled the streets, and they were public enemy number 1, 2, 3 and 4. If they were seen they would be shot on sight. They hadn’t had time too gather anything from the hub, all the perception technology had been blown apart by the bomb in his partners stomach, he winced, he had learnt to not show his reaction to jacks numerous deaths, he’d even developed a manly hug. But it never changed that it was his partners life that was being ripped away in front of his eyes even if he knew he’d be back. That last passionate kiss as Jack had sent him to the surface on the life, he’d slipped this precious key in to iantos pocket. He had missed the coat, he had missed jack. 

“So Martha, he’s going to be wary, even of you” the doctor said as they exited the tardis in a back ally behind the army surplus store “even more in a unit uniform” 

“And he’s very likely to have a reaction to your face, as Gwen said you’ve changed since he last saw you...and you maybe the enemy of Torchwood right now and what are we going to do once he’s here.. he’s a fixed point in time... his name is in the list of the ...” Martha couldn’t quite work out what the doctors plan was, if they were here to help Torchwood why did the doctor only seem to be interested in ianto. 

“Just get him in here!” The doctor was keeping the plan secret both Martha and Clara understood implications of messing with time. 

Ianto darted from out of the side street pressing himself against the wall, even though he was wearing a perception filter he couldn’t risk being seen, he really wanted to surprise Jack with a new coat he knew it would make him feel more alive more like jack. 

“Ianto” Martha whispered “ianto jones” 

Ianto jumped pressing himself tighter to wall. 

“Ianto it’s Martha I’m here” Martha whispered “two more steps and to your left” 

“Martha?!?!” Ianto was pleased to his friend despite her uniform. 

“Look I don’t quite get this either, but is jones stuck together” she took his hand as she pulled him to the back ally why the tardis, iantos eyes widened at the blue box “I know it looks odd” 

“No Martha I worked Torchwood one remember ” Ianto smiled “I was Yvonne Hartman’s PA, I know exactly what that is, I’ve seen it Cardiff, the day jack went missing” 

Martha pulled the chain out of his shirt “and your wear the key to it.... jacks key of course..” ianto pushed the door which opened for him “ianto the doctor, he doesn’t look like he did subwave network” 

“And you might have a weird reaction to him” Clara put in “well going by jack and Gwens reaction to him” 

“You’ve seen Jack and Gwen?” 

“We’re in the dark too, I just needed to get here, this is Clara, she’s travelling with the doctor” 

“Like you, and Rose, and jack” ianto was one of the few people who wasn’t in awe of the tardis, it was hard when you’d practiablly moved in to the hub. 

“So your ianto jones” the doctor came the stairs “so your the man that tamed the life force that is captain Jack” 

“Frobisher?” Ianto stroked his finger unconsciously the silver band that Jack had given him right now more than ever he wanted to feel closer to Jack. 

“No, although i think this face has a lot to answer for you know how jack comes back to life... well when I die I change bodies” the doctor started to fiddle with the control panel “we’re going back to Cardiff” ianto was the only person who wasn’t showing any reaction to him regeneration to the tardis, but then ianto was no normal visitor to the tardis, a man who once worked for Torchwood 1, the man who tamed Harkness, the man who had more access to Torchwood archieves than even jack. To ianto though, this was much like his learnt face and manly cuddle when Jack died and returned. It outside, like his suit he was neat and calm on the inside he was a bundle of emotion hormones. “When we’re you last in Cardiff?” 

“Monday when they blew up the hub” 

“Right so you can go to your flat?” 

“We’re going back to before the hub blew before they put a bomb in jack aren’t we?” Ianto started to realise he’d been snatched from the street. 

“Yes eventually, but first to make the time bubble, back one minute” we’ll park closer so we can make sure we can watch you go in to the shop” 

“That means there will be two of me” 

“Doctor?” Martha realised the paradox

“As long as they don’t meet, which is why we’re going back to Cardiff they can’t meet I’m so sorry ianto” 

They watched as a skittish ianto didn’t hear Martha, as he crossed the road, and enter the army surplus store. Before the tardis began to hum and they set off for Cardiff. 

“So what happens to that ianto?” The welsh man asked, looking at the three faces looking at each other “oh I see, he forgets me doesn’t he?” 

“Ianto” the doctor looks up “jack has died for me more times, even the first time died, it was for me” 

“So your the other friend that left him for dead”

“Since then he’s died a thousand time in my name... I have debt to repay... the only way I can repay that debt is give him the one thing he’d destroy the world for”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Martha explains what happens to the other ianto.

They were in iantos perfect almost impossiably small, neat and tidy living room. The doctor and Clara had left them, the doctor wasn’t around during the 456, it was important with unit, and the other secret services looking for any one who had a connection to jack and Torchwood to use as leverage, it was quite important he didn’t become involved. 

Martha didn’t show any suprise, she knew ianto even if he lived here this is genuinely as clean as ianto would have kept it, but she flicked on the TV, knowing the tardis some times had a good chance of not being on time, in fact the doctor she knew would often say he was lucky if he got the date he was aiming for within 18 months. 

The news was breaking news of a massive explosion in the Cardiff Bay Area, the blood in iantos body seemed to plummet to his feet, he of course knew that it wasn’t a tardis attack, he knew that the bomb had been within jack, tearing him apart. Destroying the Hub, he knew what Gwen, Rhys, jack and himself were going to live through, he felt like the world was collapsing.

“I don’t think I can stay here?” He sank on to the sofa “what if Rhiannon or Johnny see me, what about when we get back from London?” 

Martha sat down beside him realising he was absolutely right Cardiff probably wasn’t the best place for him. She knew it was going to be 4 years before he could actually see Jack again, and it also meant he couldn’t see Gwen or Rhys or even Andy until then. Jack had to have the rage filled reaction to the doctors face, as far as jack was concerned ianto had to be dead. “Ianto only Rhys and Gwen come back to Cardiff” she said quietly realising that ianto hadn’t quite processed what his kidnapping had meant his death

“Whhhhatt happens to jack and I?” 

Martha grabbed his hand stroking it, “I’m sorry Ianto, I think the doctor thought you understood” Martha sighed “in your time your in a former Torchwood one warehouse you’ve gone to get them new clothes you’ve been on the run?” Ianto nodded “the government are going to make a deal to sacrifice 10% of the children children you and Jack try and save the world like you do, you know him all great coat swirling and shouting Captain Jack Harkness Torchwood those four words solve everything in his mind” a small smile played on iantos lips “you Stern and strong, right by his side” Martha took a breathe “only the 456 don’t listen, they release a virus in to Thames house” 

“Jack can survive anything” ianto was only thinking of jack

“But you can’t” Martha said sadly “you were the first victim, jacks angry and does some unbelievable things, without you by his side he” Martha stops “he makes some questionable decisions, for the good of humanity... it’s been nearly 5 years since the earth was stolen, until today that was the last time I’d seen him when the doctor said we were going to give Jack the one thing he’d destroy the world for ... it’s you”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ianto sets decides to stay out of Cardiff and sets up a cafe in Pembrokeshire

It’s the thing I can do” ianto smiled “make coffee” as they looked round a former cafe on the welsh coast, seeing Martha giving him a are you sure look “far enough away from Cardiff I won’t be around for Rhiannon and the kids or Gwen and Rhys to see me, but that I get to watch the kids grow up and I can make coffee” 

“Ianto we could make it smith jones and jones Mickey smiled   
“You could join with us” 

“Gwen would know though” ianto shook his head “no Mickey I dated a time travelling immortal, if Gwen knows then I would have been in the tower or at least jack and Gwen would know I was alive” 

That was the conquence with playing with time. What they had done was so very unlike the doctor. She couldn’t imagine what jack had been through the year that she walked the earth, how many times he’d died on the valiant. She knew how much death followed the doctor and jack, brothers in arms in so many ways. If any one understood the loneliness of being living beyond those you true oh love.

“Iantos right, jack has to be angry enough, it’s jack nearly throttling the Doctor that caused us to go back to get ianto” 

“So if he finds me now, I’m never here” ianto smiled sadly “when you came, the thought I’d see him” 

“I’m sorry” Martha wiped a tear “I know he never talks, but his love for you is worth waiting for... “ she smiled at Mickey “see he has funny ways the doctor, he’s the reason he and Mickey are together maybe he’s right it’s time for Jack to get his reward” 

“God knows he’s knows he deserves it”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 5 years after the events of COE 
> 
> ianto has turned in to a successful coffee shop/cafe owner 
> 
> He’s been decretly watching the Cooper Williams over the years but when they turn up a few days earlier than expected with an unexpected guest

5 years later 

Ianto was proud of what he’d built up. What had started as a way of staying out of the way had become one of the most successful local chains   
He looked at his calendar he knew next week had to be off Martha and Mickey had warned him that the Cooper - Williams would be making their usual trip to the Pembroke coast. 

“Uncle Jack look here’s the best cafe in Wales isn’t that right mammy” the words floated in the door at first it was just the word jack that made his heart jump   
“Anwen, slow down” the transatlantic accent made not just his whole body jump 

“Shit” he caused he couldn’t be here, not in full view, not where Gwen and Rhys could see him and certainly not where the owner of that accent could see him. “Gemma what’s the date” he said to his shop manager had he got this wrong, looking at the calendar he had next week marked as his week off the 12th to the 17th   
“The 10th” came the reply “your off next week half term week you always take half term” 

“The hub Gwen? Is that some sort of joke” the accent was in the doorway. 

“Rhys found it funny” Gwen said “i didn’t at first, but honestly jack the breakfast is to die for and the coffee is the best I’ve had since....” the end of that sentence hung in the air. 

“Gem can you serve the group that have come in” Ianto quickly busied himself facing away from the counter “the man in the milarty coat with the little girl and for god sake don’t say my name” 

“You ok you look like you’ve seen a ghost!” 

“Yes sir?” Gemma smiled at jack Harkness, ianto allowed himself to over his shoulder allowing a slight smile at jack being addressed as sir. Anwen smiled back waving at him from where Jack had lifted her up and sat her on the counter to look at the cakes 

“A black coffee double shot please, a Capachino and a sweet hot chocolate with cream and chocolate sprinkles” 

“Mummy doesn’t let me have hot chocolate uncle Jack” 

“That’s why your uncles spoiling you....and A big slice of our gooest chocolate cake?” Gemma cooed at the little girl “I’ll bring it over” Gemma nodded towards where she could see Gwen sending a text. 

“Are you ok ianto?” She rounded on her boss “you honestly look like you’ve seen a ghost” 

“I shouldn’t be here, I can’t be here” he mummered, he knew jack must have met the doctor by now part of him wanted to turn round and shout hay jack Gwen Rhys I’m alive! But now seeing the man older, a sadness behind his eyes, he’d not told Gemma she was pretty, he’d not tried to rap her round his little finger, realising that jack had grieved hard for him still was. He knew that, that’s what had caused the doctor Clara and Martha to snatch him, in the worst week of his life the trio had arrived like angels in a blue box, but he’d been told of death of Steven and himself, the closure of Torchwood three, the disappearance of the captain, he’d watched from a far he’d watched Rhys and Gwen try and piece together some resemblance of a normal life, he’d seen Anwen grow up. 

Anwen, she’d noticed him watching he knew she had, what was it about the 5 year old she seemed to know it was important not to say anything to her parents but the wave to him when he’d allowed himself to glance at the captain, HIS captain, HIS JACK 

———

Ianto pulled up the collar on his coat protecting himself from the bitter February wind   
He stuck his hands in pockets sighing he left the flat, he’d just hang around the town, he’d managed to convince Gemma to manage the weekend without him. His thoughts were over taken with unexpected arrival of the Cooper Williams’ and the even more unexpected presence of jack. He didn’t notice when he bumped in to some one 

“Aye watch where your ....” Rhys Williams hissed   
Ianto looked up to apologised “...going mate” Rhys words tailed off 

“Sorry sorry” ianto murmured he quickened his step “shit shit shit” 

Rhys was frozen to the spot “ianto?” He questioned softly “hay ianto ..... IANTO” he called after the now quickly retreating figure. 

——-


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ianto finally lets Rhys and anwen see him

Anwen started marching along the front “look daddy I’m a cyber man” 

“Anwen” Rhys children chuckled he got it, it was all a little ridiculous to a five year old , she’d not seen the horrors that alien incursions had caused the devistating loses. It was like he’d played soldiers and war not realising the reality it had for those that lived It. “I don’t like it when you play aliens” he bent down “and you mustn’t ever do that in front of uncle Jack” 

“Mummy says she and uncle Jack met a real cyber man” anwen willingly grabbed her dads hand as they carried on their walk and they passed a man with his collar drawn up “what was it like with mummy and uncle Jack and uncle ianto” 

Ianto gulped audibly he’d never heard her refer to him as uncle isnto, he’d never even met her really apart from the odd smiles in the cafe. Rhys looked up on hearing the noise recognising the coat from the man he’d bumped in to at the beginning of their holiday and once again the man was scurrying very quickly muttering under his breath 

“Hay wait!”rhys called “ok anwen I know I just said we can’t play aliens but I need you to pretend to me mummy hunting an alien” gripping his daughters hand they took off after the now retreating ianto. 

“Why are we chasing the nice man from the hub? Daddy he’s not an alien” 

Rhys stopped In his tracks “what did you say? You’ve seen that man before?” 

“Yeah he works in the hub, he always makes sure cuts my cake bigger, the other day uncle Jack didn’t even pay for my cake” 

Rhys let a smile play on his lips nice man from the hub that exactly how he’d describe ianto, the comments he used to make to Gwen about their favourite cafe being called the hub, Gwen’s insistance that no one had ever come close to iantos coffee until they’d found the Hub. “Come on let’s go to the hub” 

“Fuck” ianto was struggling for breath it had been a while since he’d run like that, well in fact the last time was 5 years ago, when he’d been on the run with the man he was now running from, and anwen had been a bundle of cells. He’d lost them he needed to pop to the hub to get this weeks takings he looked at the time. 

The door of the hub opened and Gemma saw Rhys and anwen come in, “we’re closing in a moment, I can do you a take away as your regulars” 

“Ah we’ll be quick, we’ve just been on a long walk” Rhys said “and I promised anwen that we’d get her favourite hot chocolate” 

The door opened again “gem have you got...” ianto stopped realising the shop wasn’t as empty as he’d expected to be.

“Ianto I wasn’t expecting to see you to day” Gemma started “I know I’m late locking up sorry but their regulars I thought” 

“It’s fine Gemma,” ianto pulled his coat off, Rhys expression of confusion deepened taking in the fact that ianto was wearing suit trousers a dress shirt and a waist coat he recoignsed as jacks. “It’s almost like your following me Rhys?” 

“Ianto?!?! But but you” 

“It’s fine Gem I’ll lock up, I think Rhys and anwen might want a top up” he held the door open for her “I’ll see you tommorow” After she’d gone he locked the door seeing the confused slightly scared look on anwen face he knelt down “how about a double big slice of your favourite chocolate cake and I’ll tell you how brilliant your mummy was chasing aliens hay” 

Ianto pulled up a chair at their table sitting down watching Anwen tucking in to her cake cradling his Own coffee with both hands. 

“Ianto I don’t understand!” Rhys seethed “we grieved for you, we buried you, we’ve been trying to ... jacks been ....” 

“Jacks been forgetting me, getting on with which ever life he’s on now with whatever lover he’s on” ianto didn’t mean to sound bitter “or he’s been back where he always wanted to be with the doctor forgetting who Torchwood were. Forgetting me” 

“No the last time he met the doctor Mickey and Martha literally had to prise him off him” Rhys sighed “he looks like that civil servant. 

“I know” ianto said “that’s how I’m here, he went back in time to get me” Rhys phone started ringing 

“Jack?!?!” Rhys answered the phone


	8. Chapter 8

Jack?!?!” Rhys answered the phone 

“Oh thank god, Gwen and I have been calling you for the last 2 hours where the hell are you and anwen?!?” Jacks voice was angry and relived at the same time ianto shuddered “we thought something dreadful had happened!” 

“Jack sorry...We’re at ...” ianto shook his head “jack we’re at the hub... come and meet us” 

“It’s closed Rhys it’s 6.45... I can’t lose you and anwen... what Evers going on between you and Gwen” jack sounded tired and sad 

“Jack honestly we’re at the hub, we’re having coffee and cake with the owner” 

“Is there something going on between you and Gemma” 

Rhys laughed he didn’t blame Jack for thinking that he couldn’t imagine all the things Gwen had been telling him, that’s why they’d extended the holiday, spend more time together, it was why jack was there, he was to look after anwen give him and Gwen time alone “Gemma isn’t the owner” rhys locked eyes with ianto, his relationship might be failing he could save one, they saved the world maybe he could save them. “Jack,come and meet me at the hub” he laughed the idea of inviting Jack to the hub.

“Fine” jack pulled on his coat “I’ll be 20 minutes” 

“He won’t come with out Gwen you know that Rhys” ianto sighed “why does he think you and Gemma would”

“Mammy and daddy only spend time together when uncle jacks here” anwen snuggled in to her dads side,”mummy’s going to be cross I’ve had two bits of cake and hot chocolate and no dinner” 

“Out of the mouths of babes” Rhys stroked his daughters back “I used to be jealous of him, Always thought there was something going on, then I met you, knew I had nothing to worry about.. I always thought he’d be the reason we fell apart resently he’s been the reason Gwen and I stay together”

“Hay why don’t I make you some beans on toast” ianto needed to process what Rhys had just told him he’d missed it only seeing them from a distance once or twice a year “then mummy can’t even too cross with daddy or uncle ianto” 

“Uncle ianto” anwen smiled “but uncle Jack said he’d lost you” 

“Well now you and daddy have found me haven’t you... what amazing alien hunters you’d make” Ianto got up to make the little girls dinner he had his back to the door when it opened he resisted the urge turn around when he heard the familiar swish of the great coat. 

Jack went over to Rhys and sat where ianto had been sitting, “what’s going on Rhys, I know you said” the door opened for a second Time, with Gwen rushing to her daughter. “But Gwen came” 

“Just pull up a chair, anwen having beans on toast for dinner I lost track of time sorry” Rhys said 

Ianto put the beans on toast in front of anwen, and capuchinno in front of Gwen who was to busy glaring at Rhys, finally a large black coffee brewed to what jack would call perfection “your coffee .....Sir” ianto put emphasis on sir, the hand with the silver band lingering on the cup.   
Jacks eyes lingered for a second on the silver ring his eyes moved up the arm recognising the waist coat, he’d left it at iantos the weekend before the children stopped before the hub blew up, then to cheeky smile and to the deep blue eyes “ianto?!!” 

“Sir” ianto smiled “jack!” 

“Ianto?!?!” Gwen finally found her voice


	9. Chapter 9

Hi Gwen” he turned to her breaking the eye contact he with jack, but jacks hand with the matching ring linked fingers with his. “You told Jack this place had the best coffee since me well literally because I...made it” Rhys pulled up a chair for ianto as it was obvious jack wasn’t letting go of ianto’s hand. “So she’s what 5 now? Has it been 5 years how’s life been? 

“ hell ianto how do you think life’s been” Gwen glared at him “we’ve, been through hell, he ran the hell away” she gestured to jack “then the miricle that tore me and jack apart, Rhys and I have just trying to make sense of any thing and you ask how life has been, we bloody grieved for you, I had to tell Rhiannon, yeah ianto life has just been great. Yeah peachy... no it’s been 5 years of being torn apart losing friend after friend, watching him go between depression and anger” she gestured to jack again just wishing anwen could know her uncle Jack properly wishing even more that she could know her uncle ianto oh damnit” 

“That all takes its toll on a marriage” Rhys sighed “so here we are with the last two reasons we’re together, anwen and ironically jack” 

“I’m sorry” 

“I don’t understand and fuck me the things I do understand, I didn’t think there was anything I would look at and go that’s impossuajle again” Gwen was slightly seething with anger, joy at seeing ianto but right now the state of her marriage and realising for 5 years she’s grieved for some one sitting in front and of her she looked at jack “ and what I absolutely don’t understand is how he’s so calm”

“I’m not calm Gwen” jack murmured “but imagine you hadn’t seen Rhys for five years you’d want to touch hi make sure he was real wouldn’t you, and you’d want proof” ianto put his hand in the picked of his waist coat pulling out the gold chain he often wore when the Cooper Williams were in town, jack saw the key at the end off it. “The last time you wore that was when we were on... before... the day before” 

“Yours” Ianto nodded 

“Oh come on ianto what sort of answer is that, what is it the key to his heart how fucking twee” 

“Want to explain Jack what it actually is” 

“It’s a tardis key, it’s a key to the doctors transport.... but it’s a perception filter, it’s how isnto got our clothes, it’s how Martha once saved the world, it’s how iantos been here the whole time. But I don’t understand how you got here, you died in my arms” 

“Last time you saw the doctor?what did you do Jack?!” 

“He nearly throttled him” Gwen answered 

“And that is a fixed point without Jack doing that I’m not here, which is why you couldn’t find out until now, I needed Jack to think I was gone when he saw that doctors face... I’m sorry” 

“I understand that ianto... I don’t understand though why” 

“ how many times have you died in his name and how many have you those you’ve been in love with lost fighting in his name” 

“Died, I have lost count, loves? Elizabeth, Estelle, Lucia” 

“And how many you’d tear the world apart for?” 

“Just one” 

“I know.” Ianto gripped his hand tighter. 

“we don’t!” Gwen sighed “his I feel like Andy neither of you are making any sense” 

“There’s only one person I’d tear the world apart for and I would and I could”Jack sighed “ see Gwen that’s why I ran, I knew I couldn’t stay on earth, I couldn’t have something I could control the rift with that would be like giving the doctor the ablity open Parallel worlds... did Mickey explain” ianto nodded. 

“See Gwen, the doctor and Jack are kindred spirits, lone travelers, death follows them, like an ever present shadow in their lives. The doctor had lost Rose, he knew that grief Jack, he knew the temptation to tear apart everything he’d ever worked for” 

“But you stayed away from Estelle, you put Lucia in to witness protection and Elizabeth died a centary ago,” Gwen was confused “losing them didn’t cause you too .... oh you didn’t name the one you’d tear the world apart for” 

“No, I’d never told him,” jack gripped iantos hand tighter “even when I died with him in front of a alien tank I never told him.” 

“You see seeing Jack that angry that he’d hurt the doctor, the doctor knew he was capable of anything. And the only way to stop him was to give him back the one person that would stop him tearing the world apart... repayment of the debt”


End file.
